She stands and places her hands on my shoulders. “You admit it. The crash was related to one of your damn rewards. Tell me, what were you looking for in South Jersey?”
Picturing her in my bed, my gaze shifts to her mouth and my tone softens. “I assure you, it’s unrelated to my current case.”
Chills spike down my spine as her fingertips slide behind my neck and she whispers, “I’m not going to steal your money, if that’s what your worried about.”
“Fuck the bounty, Landy, I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.” As I nibble on her ear, the damn dog growls, and the tiny R2-D2 bumps my leg. “Good morning. Would you like to play gin rummy?”
Half-body man starts singing in the other room. “Wasting away in Margaritaville… Some people say there’s a woman to blame but I know…”
“Oh my God. How do you shut them up?” As I imagine dropping her robots into a tub of water and shorting them out forever, she claps her hands, and commands them back to sleep.
Then, her sultry eyes hone in on me. “I appreciate your concern, I really do, but I can take care of myself.”
On her tiptoes, she tilts her head, and the moment her mouth connects with mine, I’m toast. Ah hell, here we go again. Other than Seattle, this is the worst idea I’ve ever had and yet, I don’t want it to stop.
While we pause and gasp for air, my brain whirrs. “Before we go any further, I need to know. The fear I saw the last time we kissed. Was it something I did?”
As if I flipped a switch, she steps away. The heat in her eyes dissolve, her cheeks flush to a different shade of red, and her brows crease. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“But babe, I think we should.” Apparently, this was the wrong thing to say because her frowny face grows even angrier.
“You’re right. How about we converse about this? I don’t need a white knight and I’m sure as hell no damsel in distress. You go find your big bounty bucks. I need to find out who trashed my reputation. Go.”
“Fuck, just fuck.” My voice raises because I’m the good guy. I did nothing to deserve this.
“Landy, do you need help?” At the half man robot’s offer, I walk into the living room and answer it.
“Yeah, she needs the name of a good shrink.”
“No problem. I will print out several options.” A nearby motor whirrs and if I weren’t so damn frustrated, I’d laugh.
Snatching a paper out of the tray, I place it on the kitchen table in front of her. “Call me when your head’s on straight.”
With the flair of a drama queen, I storm out the door and promise myself I will end this stupid attraction. Hours later, I’m still muttering but these oaths are of a different kind. Water sluicing over my naked body, I close my eyes, pump my cock, and imagine her lips wrapped around my length.
When I come, I come hard. My liquids swirl down the drain, my heartbeat returns to normal, and I clunk my forehead against the tiles.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
~ Chapter 8 ~
Landy
I crumple up Jonathan’s list and toss it in the trash. Why do I let Dashiell Montclair get under my skin? I do not need a fucking shrink. Doesn’t anyone besides me find it disturbing how if you add a space, therapist spells ‘the rapist’?
Tears well as I brush my teeth. Just because some women let an asshole ruin their lives, doesn’t mean I have to. It’s been over three years. I’m over it. Closing my eyes, I picture a cardboard box and stuff the horrific memories inside. Then, I wrap the virtual package in duct tape and throw it in a fiery furnace.
There. A marine does not let emotional nonsense interfere with her job.
And I would still be one if I had kept my big mouth shut.Dammit. How had that thought escaped? I repeat the process until I have banished all similar images to my brain’s trash bin.
As I slide between the sheets, his kiss replays in my mind. My fingers slip under the elastic of my pajama bottoms and caress my wet clit. I picture his tongue playing my nub, rub harder, and pinch my nipples with my other hand. My heartbeat quickens. Picturing him inside me, I buck, and groan.
In my mind’s eye, he moans out my name, my orgasm quivers, and dies fast. I’m still horny. Punching my pillow, I turn, and close my eyes, and pray to a God I’m not sure exists.Hey, if you’re out there, one uninterrupted night’s sleep would be greatly appreciated.
In darkness, I fight off the heavy man who has me pinned under him. His breath reeks of cheap beer and as his hard body holds me in place, I kick and scream.
No, no, no.I am not here.This is not real. I holler with all my might, but he stuffs a pillowcase in my mouth.
